Pentas plant named ‘PEZZ0004’

ABSTRACT

A new  Pentas  plant named ‘PEZZ0004’ particularly distinguished by the large sized inflorescences with red colored flowers, dark yellow-green foliage, vigorous and upright habit with strong branches, and tolerates hot summer conditions.

Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: Pentaslanceolata.

Varietal denomination: ‘PEZZ0004’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new Pentas, botanically known asPentas lanceolata, and hereinafter referred to by the variety name‘PEZZ0004’.

‘PEZZ0004’ is a product of a planned breeding program. The new cultivar‘PEZZ0004’ has large sized inflorescences with red colored flowers, darkyellow-green foliage, vigorous and upright habit with strong branches,and tolerates hot summer conditions.

‘PEZZ0004’originates from a hybrid cross in a breeding program made inJuly 2006 in a greenhouse in Gilroy, Calif. The female parent was anunpatented, proprietary plant, identified as ‘T50H-4’ with violetcolored flowers.

The male parent of ‘PEZZ0004’was an unpatented, proprietary plantidentified as ‘T37H-1’ with red colored flowers. The resultant seed wassown in January 2007 in a greenhouse in Gilroy, Calif.

‘PEZZ0004’ was selected as one flowering plant within the progeny of thestated cross in May 2007 in a greenhouse in Gilroy, Calif.

The first act of asexual reproduction of ‘PEZZ0004’ was accomplishedwhen vegetative cuttings were propagated from the initial selection inMay 2007 in a greenhouse in Gilroy, Calif.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Horticultural examination of plants grown from cuttings of the plantinitiated in May 2007 in Gilroy, Calif., and continuing thereafter, hasdemonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosedfor ‘PEZZ0004’are firmly fixed and are retained through successivegenerations of asexual reproduction.

‘PEZZ0004’ has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations inenvironment such as temperature, light intensity, and day length.

A Plant Breeder's Right for this cultivar was applied for in Canada onNov. 2, 2012, No. 12-7781 and was granted as certificate number 4942 onOct. 29, 2014. ‘PEZZ0004’ has not been made publicly available more thanone year prior to the filing of this application.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe basic characteristics of the new variety. The combination of thesecharacteristics distinguishes this Pentas as a new and distinct variety.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographic drawing shows typical flower and foliagecharacteristics of ‘PEZZ0004’ with colors being as true as possible withan illustration of this type.

The photographic drawing shows two flowering plants of the new varietygrowing in one container and a close-up of a flower.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The plant descriptions, measurements and photographs were taken inGilroy, Calif. in mid April 2013 under natural light. These plants wereapproximately 16-18 weeks old and were grown two plants per one galloncontainer in a greenhouse trial.

Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society ColourChart (R.H.S.) 2001.

TABLE 1 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE NEW VARIETY ‘PEZZ0004’ AND A MOSTSIMILAR VARIETY ‘Bismarck Pink’ ‘PEZZ0004’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,780)Habit: Much more vigorous Less vigorous Leaf size: Larger Smaller Flowercolor/size: Larger/red Smaller/pink

TABLE 2 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE NEW VARIETY ‘PEZZ0004’ AND MALE PARENT‘T37H-1’ ‘PEZZ0004’ ‘T37H-1’ Habit: More rounded, less spreading Lessrounded, more spreading

-   Plant:    -   -   Form, growth and habit.—Upright, sturdy and vigorous growth            habit; good heat tolerance with continuous flowering through            summer; well-branched plant habit.        -   Plant height.—21-23.0 cm.        -   Plant height (inflorescence included).—27-29.0 cm.        -   Plant width.—About 15.0 cm.-   Roots:    -   -   Number of days to initiate roots.—15-18 days at about 22            degrees C.        -   Number of days to produce a rooted cutting.—21-23 days at 22            degrees C.        -   Type.—Fine, fibrous, free branching.        -   Color.—RHS N155B but whiter.-   Foliage:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite.        -   Immature leaf, color upper surface.—Closest to RHS 147A;            very glossy looking.        -   Immature leaf, color lower surface.—Closest to RHS 147B.        -   Mature leaf, color upper surface.—Closest to RHS 147A but            slightly darker; much less glossy looking than immature.        -   Mature leaf, color lower surface.—Closest to RHS 147B.        -   Length.—7.5-8.2 cm.        -   Width.—4.4-4.7 cm.        -   Shape.—Broadly ovate to elliptical.        -   Base shape.—Attenuate.        -   Apex shape.—Acute.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture upper side.—Hirsute to slightly pilose.        -   Texture lower side.—Hirsute mainly along the veins.        -   Color of veins, upper surface.—RHS 144C.        -   Color of veins, lower surface.—RHS 144C.        -   Pattern of veining.—Pinnate.        -   Petiole color.—RHS 144C.        -   Petiole length.—0.5-0.7 cm.        -   Diameter of petiole.—0.3 cm.        -   Texture.—Hirsute to slightly pilose.-   Stem:    -   -   Quantity of branches.—2-3.        -   Color of stem.—Closest to RHS 144A.        -   Length of stem.—19-24.0 cm.        -   Diameter.—0.3-0.4 cm.        -   Length of internodes.—4-7.0 cm.        -   Texture.—Hirsute to slightly pilose.-   Peduncle:    -   -   Color of peduncle.—RHS 144A.        -   Length of peduncle.—1-1.4 cm.        -   Peduncle diameter.—0.3 cm.        -   Peduncle texture.—Hirsute to slightly pilose.-   Pedicel:    -   -   Color of pedicel.—RHS 144A.        -   Length of pedicel.—0.2-0.3 cm.        -   Diameter of pedicel.—0.1 cm.        -   Pedicel texture.—Hirsute to slightly pilose.-   Bud (just before opening):    -   -   Color.—RHS 185B.        -   Length.—2.4-2.6 cm.        -   Width.—0.4 cm.        -   Shape.—Oblong.-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Type.—Terminal corymb; but more umbel looking.        -   Natural flowering.—Late spring and summer, flowers            continuously.        -   Number of inflorescences per plant.—3-4 with open flowers;            2-3 immature with just buds.        -   Fragrance.—None.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—9-10.0 cm.        -   Inflorescence depth.—4.5-5.0 cm.-   Corolla:    -   -   Form.—Single, tubular-shaped flowers consisting of a single            whorl of 5 pointed petals fused at the base; aspect, flat;            very free flowering.        -   Lastingness of individual flowers.—About 3-4 weeks depending            on temperature.        -   Diameter of floret.—2.3-2.4 cm.        -   Depth of floret.—2.5-3.0 cm.        -   Immature.—Color upper petals, upper surface: RHS 53A but            much brighter. Color upper petals, lower surface: Closest to            RHS 55A.        -   Mature.—Color upper petals, upper surface: Between RHS 53A            and RHS 53B. Color upper petals, lower surface: Closest to            RHS 55B.        -   Length petals.—1.0 cm.        -   Width of petals.—0.5-0.55 cm.        -   Petal shape.—Ovate.        -   Apex shape.—Acute.        -   Margin.—Entire, where not fused.        -   Base.—Fused.        -   Petal texture.—Papillose; with some hairs down the midvein.        -   Corolla tube color, inside.—RHS N155B.        -   Corolla tube color, outside.—Closest to RHS 55B.        -   Corolla tube length.—2-2.1 cm.        -   Corolla tube diameter.—0.2 cm.        -   Corolla throat diameter.—0.5 cm.-   Calyx:    -   -   Number of sepals.—5.        -   Color of sepals.—Closest RHS 147A.        -   Length of sepals.—0.8-0.9 cm.        -   Width of sepals.—0.15 cm.        -   Sepal shape.—Narrowly lanceolate.        -   Apex shape.—Acute.        -   Margins.—Entire.        -   Texture, upper surface.—Glabrous, with hairs at the margins.        -   Texture, lower surface.—Hirsute.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Gynoecium.—Pistil: 1. Length: 2.8 cm. Style color: RHS 155C.            Style length: 2.0 cm. Stigma color: Closest to RHS 59B but a            little more grey. Sigma type: Bi-parted; pubescent. Ovary            color: RHS N144A. Ovary length: 0.1 cm. Ovary diameter: 0.1            cm.        -   Androecium.—Number of stamens: 5. with filaments fused to            the corolla wall. Anther color: RHS 197B. Length of anthers:            0.2 cm. Color of pollen: RHS 155A. Pollen amount: Normal.-   Fertility/seed set: Has not been determined to date.-   Disease/pest resistance: Has not been determined to date.

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Pentas plant named‘PEZZ0004’ substantially as illustrated and described herein.